Marlborough
Our last stop before leaving New Zealand was to the region of Marlborough. We are staying at an adorable hotel near Blenheim and arrived early on Friday after driving from Abel Tasman National Park. The Marlborough region is best known around the world as a leading producer of sauvignon blanc wine and there are numerous wineries in the area. We read the best way to explore the wineries is by bike as most of the vineyards are clustered around a few square miles. I was a little nervous about biking given my previous biking experience in Tassie which left me feeling exhausted and sore, but I figured with enough wine I wouldn't feel the pain (I kid mother, I kid!). The roads ended up being super flat and easy to ride and Alex and I had a blast biking this time around. Per the recommendation of the hotel, we stopped at Giesen first where we ordered the amazing "Vintage Platter" for lunch. It was the most gorgeous spread I've ever seen and included: cheeses, paté, meats, mussels, chutneys, and fresh bread. We were stuffed by the time we finished everything.
After lunch, we biked over to Cloudy Bay which was founded in 1985. They have a beautiful tasting room and outdoor patio where we sat and enjoyed a glass of wine.
Across from Cloudy Bay is Allan Scott Family Wine, a family owned winery since 1990.
The last winery we visited before biking back to the hotel was Hunter's Wines. Another family-owned winery and known for winning over 200 gold medals in national and international wine competitions.
Saturday, we started the day with lunch at Brancott Estate. Their restaurant and tasting room sits high above a hill and they have these floor-to-ceiling windows. It was great being able to enjoy the food and wine while admiring the view.
After lunch, we decided to stop at one more winery before making our way back to the hotel. We decided on Wither Hills, the name originating from the Wither Hills range that borders the vineyards.
Yes, I made him do this! He's a good sport!
We are leaving tomorrow to drive back to Christchurch where we will then fly out of New Zealand and back to mainland Australia on Monday morning. I cannot believe our time here in this beautiful county is officially complete. Looking back on our pictures, we really got to see so many beautiful and amazing places. Alex and I both believe New Zealand got a little extra love when being created - the landscape here is unlike I've ever seen. It is bittersweet saying goodbye as I'm excited to head back to Australia, but sad to know I probably will not be back for some time. It has been an amazing 40 days and as they say in Maori "Ka kite anō" (see you again)!!